Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Palace Far from Worries
    Posts
    14,393

    TRAVEL - QLD - NSW ... Back of the Gold Coast - Springbrook

    Part 1

    Took the Lassie and the Rugrats up to the Springbrook National Park recently.

    Bit of History. The Springbrook National Park is one of a series of National Parks nestled behind the Gold Coast, Australia.

    These National Parks were formed from the remains of the largest extinct volcano in the southern hemisphere.
    Massive thing, last blew it's top circa 20 million years ago.

    Check out the scale of the monster, the solid plug of which is known as Mt Warning ...



    That volcanic crater would have been more 20, maybe 30 kilometres across!


    But that was then, this is now.

    About a 40 - 50 min drive from the Gold Coast or about 90 mins from Brisbane, below is the first half decent look-out stop.
    Squint hard, those vertical columns you see on the horizon line are the Highrises, condominium towers at the beach.


    Viewing due east from the look-out.


    The area was first opened up by the white settlers to harvest the giant teak trees which grew abundantly.



    ^ Not my image, but an original stump of a Cedar tree. Far left and upper most of the stump you can clearly see the notch carved into the tree which the logger cut to place his foot board.

    Logging is now banned, but the Forest needs some of the monsters to topple (below) to allow light to penetrate the Forest Floor and allow the circle of life to continue.



    It's surprising what you see in the light corridors ...




    Being an area ripe with food sources, there were a number of Aboriginal Tribes who used to frequent the area, not that I
    can pronounce it, but the main tribes name for this area is ...




    One of the main attractions at Springbrook, for the day traveller is Purling Brook Falls.
    It's described above and pictured below.



    Easy stroll from the car park, though, for the adventurous, there is a track, maybe an hours walk return where you
    can trek to the bottom of the falls, under the water curtain and back up.


    Apologies for the media content, I have just the crappy Chinese made mobile phone.



    Above ... the rugrats are curious about the native Fauna.
    I told them it was a baby dinosaur ... they are going through that phase ATM.

    Just a native skink ... one of the ones if it senses danger, it tosses it tail, which wriggles after disconnection and hopefully
    distracts the predator enough for the skink to get a clean get away.



    If you have a close look, you can see the clear line on the Skink's body where it's thrown it's tail before, and then grown back with a slightly different pattern/markings.


    Part 2 soon, beer is empty and one of the Rugrats just woke up.
    .
    Last edited by David48atTD; 14-05-2017 at 12:10 PM.
    Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago ...


  2. #2
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Palace Far from Worries
    Posts
    14,393

    Part 2



    With the kids, limited time ... which way to go?

    Bang for Bucks, it has to be the Best of All Lookout.


    To get there, you have to cross Purling Brook, so a quick photo of the stream which, in part, forms the Falls.



    Honestly, you could drink that water.

    No Farming, no human activities in it's headwaters/catchment.




    Distant cousin of the one the kids saw? Much bigger though.


    The walking track to the Best of all Lookouts is a moderately easy 15 - 30 min stroll on a graded path.
    No steep inclines to traverse ... could take Granny.


    Not only do you have to watch out for the Fauna in Australia, but also the Flora.

    We have stinging nettles, the giant Gympie stinging tree and your garden variety stinging tree, below.



    Forget the spikes on the stem and leaves ... it's the nettles under the leaf which does the damage.
    They grow close to the path, so was carefull with the sprogs.


    Another danger in the Forest is what we call 'Lawyer Cane' or 'Wait-a-while', botanically, Calamus australis.


    Credit
    Basically, it's like a bamboo cane which is wrapped in a shroud of bristling spines, but the real 'wait-a-while' are the trailers which the plant produces.


    Credit and credit

    These vines, once they have hooked your clothing, despite how strong you pull, because of the angle of the thorn, are impossible to break free.
    It's the mechanism by which they propagate themselves through the Forest.

    You 'wait-a-while' while you step back and unhook yourself.


    With the Beast, comes also the beauty of the Rainforest.

    Where allowed, pop off the beaten path and nature opens up





    Back on track and a reminder of more ancient times, maybe even before White Man stepped upon the shores.

    The Antarctic Beech Trees





    Wouldn't have been out of place in a Lord of the Rings movie.




    Another 5 mins down the track and we reach the lookout.



    Now for the view ...



    No ... not that view.

    This view ...



    Above, to the left.

    Below, to the right ...



    On the right and at the horizon line is the 'plug' of the volcano, known as Mt Warning.

    You can only grasp the beauty of this in a short panoramic video ...


    The drive home, phone held outside, some of the dry woodland forest drive home.




    ... and the rugrats had a well earned siesta as well.




    More?



    Springbrook National Park
    .

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Last but who gives a shit.
    Posts
    13,316
    Very nice indeed. Thanks.

    Called 'Wait a while vine'. I experienced it in the Malaya jungle. Known there as Baluka or similar.
    Last edited by Pragmatic; 14-05-2017 at 01:15 PM.

  4. #4
    I'm in Jail

    Join Date
    May 2011
    Last Online
    29-04-2023 @ 08:08 AM
    Location
    Not in jail
    Posts
    7,255
    Excellent thread. Hope that kiwi fooker dickie doesn't piss you off and cause a massive flounce I've got a shitload of pics from last months west aussie trip that I still need to get on photobucket.com. cant seem to get motivated

  5. #5
    I'm in Jail

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Last Online
    14-12-2023 @ 11:54 AM
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    13,986
    Australia is an old continent and the mountains are really quite eroded, but it's interesting that in the right lighting you can still see circular formations around Mt Warning.



    Good rock climbing, too.


  6. #6
    A Cockless Wonder
    Looper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Last Online
    Yesterday @ 11:30 PM
    Posts
    15,187
    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD
    Distant cousin of the one the kids saw? Much bigger though.
    Pink tongue skink (close relative of the famous blue tongue skink) more distant relative of the common garden skink (the small one).

    Caught 2 of them in the garden once and kept them for a day for observation. Big fat fuckers they are.

    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD
    and your garden variety stinging tree, below.
    That is Devil's Fig. Looks like it is under attack from some pest. Used to have to keep that under control in the garden. I had it growing in trees 10m tall in the gully.

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat

    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Last Online
    10-08-2020 @ 01:40 PM
    Posts
    2,000
    Nice David. Thank you for that bit of Nature with terrific pics and geological background.

  8. #8
    A Cockless Wonder
    Looper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Last Online
    Yesterday @ 11:30 PM
    Posts
    15,187
    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer
    still see circular formations around Mt Warning.
    French tourist was killed there at New Year this year. Camped out overnight on the summit with his girlfriend and he was struck by lightning while sitting in a camping chair.

    I guess when your numbers up your numbers up.

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat
    Headworx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Jomtien
    Posts
    7,981
    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD View Post
    Part 1

    Squint hard, those vertical columns you see on the horizon line are the Highrises, condominium towers at the beach.


    .
    And here's the view of where you took that shot, but the reverse angle looking West from out to sea;

    What a magical place it is where you can go surfing or deep sea fishing, and drive into the hinterlands with rain forests and waterfalls in 30-40 mins. Top thread David and thanks for posting, hopefully you have further pics and narrative to share.

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,590
    Thanks david (and others) for the pix and the stories. Was good to see your boys too - they have more hair now! Lol. Cheers.

    @bld - yes please, put the Oz pics up. It's one place on my bucket list. I've got a standing (or sitting) invite from a cousin in West Aus, but no time yet and $$, since Aus needs mucho dinero. And if I went there, I'd like to stay for 3 wks or so, but don't have that time yet at the moment. Btw, my photobucket has been $&%, so I switched to imgsafe.

  11. #11
    I'm in Jail

    Join Date
    May 2011
    Last Online
    29-04-2023 @ 08:08 AM
    Location
    Not in jail
    Posts
    7,255
    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Latindancer
    still see circular formations around Mt Warning.
    French tourist was killed there at New Year this year. Camped out overnight on the summit with his girlfriend and he was struck by lightning while sitting in a camping chair.
    9
    I guess when your numbers up your numbers up.
    happened to a mate of mine in southern Lao storm came out of nowhere. He was on top of a mountain instilling a radio beacon to make things safer

  12. #12
    R.I.P.
    Wally Dorian Raffles's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Last Online
    23-07-2020 @ 06:41 AM
    Location
    Location: Location: Three sausages went to the station, and wound up at immigration!
    Posts
    6,283
    Nice thread.
    I was a frequent visitor here in my youth. Lot's of hot summer days spent swimming in waterholes and some crazy parties too. Orielly's is amazing.
    I tried to set up a tour for Japanese tourists to Mt.Tamborine a little over a year ago. I have done half a dozen tours or so - but find it hard to compete with big japanese companies. I am now planning to go back to japan so website for sale! Surfers Paradise Now - Home

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •